Twin Tune Dance
by PRlNCE
Summary: "As much as I would like to hate you, I can't." Too similar, too different. Priorities get quite conflicting when Yuri has to deal with far more than childhood memories. For how long can it be pushed aside when he has to deal with the problem face to face, and perhaps dispose of it if the means require it?
1. Ligature

_Things were just so much easier when we were kids._

Eyes closes but focused, feet attentive and slowly dragging across the grass, the wind entangling his dark orchid hair at the sudden movement, Yuri caught the blade as it spun towards him. Placed perfectly in the palm of his right hand, he grasped it, letting his nimble fingers taste of it only to release it into the air once more. At this, he cast himself forward, supporting the rest of his body with his arms and hands as he felt the grass brush against his head for but a moment. Upon safely landing on his feet again, left arm outstretched, the blade found its place once again in his possession.

_It's a shame, isn't it?_

Yuri lowered his arm and let the sword rest, its tip gently caressing the ground. He simply stood there for a while, breathing, listening to his heart beats slow down bit by bit. He exhaled, chest sinking and shoulders relaxing. He opened his eyes and returned to awareness, the nocturnal sounds reaching his consciousness, making him realize just how physically and mentally spent he was. He inhaled deeply, taking in the damp smells as he ran a tired hand through his hair, separating his fringe.

_We all still wanted the same thing, but back then the means didn't matter as much._

With an exasperated sigh, Yuri took a few steps and let his eyes wander across the vegetation. The scabbard to his sword was sticking out of a bush wet with the recent downpour. He shook his head and chuckled lightly as he walked over to grab it, shaking off some drops before sheathing the blade. The air was still humid. It felt like it would be far too cold for rain, and yet as Yuri leaned his head back to greet the sky he flinched as one of its tears found its way onto his eyelid, trickling down his face.

_Or maybe we lost our ability to understand._

Sleep beckoned. Cold drops on ivory skin summoned a shiver. Before leaving, Yuri bound the supporting string around his hand and grasped it, the other end attached to his sheath, making it dangle at his side. Only at his first step, a rustling sound behind him made him turn. His fingers tingled at the noise and immediately tensed up around the string. But as the tip of a slim, canine nose emerged sniffing in his direction, Yuri's limbs relaxed.

"Repede", he called.

The dog leapt out from the bushes, shaking off hundreds of droplets from his fur. The good side of his face eyed Yuri intently, all the while chewing lightly on the fancy pipe in his mouth - naturally not a thing commonly seen in the mouth of a dog. Repede elatedly joined his master's side as another figure stumbled out from his hiding place. He fell headfirst onto the ground, groaning into the drenched strands of grass. Yuri stared in disbelief.

"Karol?"

The boy sat up with a sheepish smile, dirt covering his childish but worn face and strands of his sienna hair lowering over his nose despite his attempts at blowing them away.

Yuri shot him a gentle smile and gave him a hand, dragging the boy up to his feet.

"Were you two watching me?"

"Uh... Haha... Yeah", Karol admitted. "Until Repede blew our cover."

The latter was added with an indicated glare at the blue-coated canine, who in turn grunted heavily, his nose puffing. Yuri gave him a quick glance, a crooked smile gracing his face.

"Well, you know... Repede isn't a big fan of water."

Turning his attention back to Karol, Yuri tilted his head curiously to the side.

"So why were you guys spying on me like that?"

"We weren't _spying_ on you!" Karol exclaimed. "We were just... I was..."

Raindrops kept insisting on tapping on Yuri's shoulders to earn his attention. He disregarded it however, and crouched down to meet Karol's eyes.

"You were following me?" he asked.

"You didn't notice?"

"Yeah... I guess not."

A whining noise escaped Repede.

"Something seemed wrong, so I followed you. Repede just came along. I almost thought you'd go off somewhere on your own again, Yuri." Karol clenched his fists and lowered his head, a sad-looking display. "Sorry."

"Guess I can't blame you", Yuri said, voicing his laid-back attitude. He stretched out again, feeling the cold bury itself beneath his clothes now as well. "I just couldn't sleep."

Karol followed as Yuri moved aside a low branch, careful not to get slapped in the face by rain-drenched leaves. Repede seemed content at his side.

"Well... if there is something, you can tell me, alright? It's not good if you keep things to yourself. We're all worried about you!" Karol didn't try to hide the concern enveloping him. Yuri had to smile.

"You got it, Captain."

The branch retracted. Karol had to duck quickly and almost fell again due to the slippery footing. Free of the verdure shelter, they found the sky stretched out above them. The stars weren't visible at all due to the heavy clouds.

Karol looked down on his baggy trousers and noticed, to his dismay, that they had become so muddy they were soaked to his skin.

"When is the rain gonna let up?" he mumbled.

"What's that, Boss?" Yuri asked, giving the young boy a glance over his shoulder.

"Never mind. By the way, it looked really good back there!"

Yuri stopped for a moment, carefully placing his feet on the smooth rocks and jumping the short distance down. The field merged into a bit of a rugged hill, and especially now one should be mindful.

"Looked good?" he echoed. "What did? Watch your step here."

The boy slowly climbed down, triumphant in keeping himself on the ground.

"That thing you did! I mean those moves... That was really cool, Yuri! I mean, I've seen you fight and all, but I've never really had the chance to... really watch, you know?"

"Oh, that. Yeah, it helps me concentrate. Tires me out too if I need to get to sleep."

"Why did you have trouble sleeping?" Karol asked, his voice losing its previous excitement and replacing it with careful curiosity.

The tents were visible further down. Everyone was surely asleep by now. It was the darkest time of the night, and no one would want to risk getting soaked.

_I've been thinking about things._

"Well, you know..."

_A little more than usual, to be honest._

"Sometimes you just can't."

_I'd be lying if I said it doesn't make me a little bitter._

"No matter how hard you try."

_But I've gotta stay positive, you know?_

"And I don't want to waste time just lying around."

_That kind of thinking isn't for someone like me._

"The rain didn't make it easy though."

_That kind of thinking is wasted on me._

Karol watched him silently. While Yuri spoke, he seemed to disappear somewhere. Even Repede stopped in his tracks for a bit just to glare at him with that one eye. Suddenly they were both riddled with concern. Karol's eyes shot to the ground, unsure what could be bothering Yuri to the point where he'd start hiding things again. He exhaled slowly at the inadequacy that came with not being able to do anything about it. Even if he did know.

Repede trotted over to Yuri's side, giving his hand a lick before directing a head butt into his side.

"Wh-! Ow! Repede, what...?"

The canine woofed, then simply turned around and made a sprint for the tents. Karol and Yuri watched him, dumbfounded.

"I think he's just worried about you", said Karol.

"I think I just broke a rib", Yuri corrected.

This part was especially slippery, so Karol leapt forward and skated down. Yuri smiled curiously and picked up the pace.

"But you know... sometimes it seems like you don't think anyone would understand you. I think you should give us a chance."

"I hear you. Sometimes I just can't find a way to phrase it to even make myself understand", Yuri expressed.

"Huh?"

"I'm just a human like everyone else, so I can't help but get conflicted over things every now and then. I know where my priorities are, though. It's not like I'll let it interfere with anything else. Besides, I'm sure someone gets me well enough."

"Like Flynn?"

Everything stopped. Every sound came to a halt, as if the crickets had ceased their choir practice to catch their breath at this statement.

_Ignore it._

The steps resumed. Yuri focused his eyes forward as he walked past Karol, but what they were looking at was something he couldn't even answer himself.

_It's not your fault it gets like this. There's nothing you can do about it. Stop thinking about it._

"Yuri?"

Karol caught up to him, but Yuri was far too lost in thought to pay him any mind.

_He disappointed you. He doesn't trust you. Stop thinking about it._

"Yuri, the camp? Yuri!"

Karol tried to get his attention as Yuri walked off, leaving the tents behind him, but to no avail. Even as Yuri's own thoughts echoed again and again in his mind, they couldn't stop the incoming flood.

_Stop._

But it wouldn't let him.

_Where are you? Are you alright? Do you ever wonder about me? Do you ever regret how things turned out? Would you listen to me, would you even try?_

Even when he knew the answers, it so cruelly taunted him. A menace, trying to tell him tales of things he'd already left behind. Trying to make him care even more than he already did, to make it even more straining, even harder to smother those feelings once the inevitable would come - when Yuri and Flynn would have to face their differences in battle.

He found himself alone on the plains. The breeze started to catch up, throwing stray drops into his face.

"I thought I didn't care anymore. I thought I was done. Then this comes along and shoves you back into my life in a way that neither of us want. As if it wasn't difficult enough to face you."

_Flynn._

_Wasn't it so much easier when we were kids?_

_Isn't it hard enough now?_

"This won't break my resolve", Yuri mumbled into the sky. "If anything it'll make me work even harder, if anything it'll make my blade that much stronger if it clashes with yours. Only because I won't let it get in my damn way. I just wonder..."

_I said stop thinking about it!_

The thoughts weren't silenced in the least. Yuri clenched his fists, closed his eyes, just breathed. He recalled Karol's question and turned around upon remembering he had just left him behind. He mused for a bit, then scratched his head with a sigh and walked the short distance back.

_Alright. If it's not gonna relent, I'll let it be. Not like it'll make any difference as far as my choices are concerned._

_Flynn._

_I'll give it a shot. Being in love with you._


	2. Chasm

And what a decision it was.

As the afternoon heated up the soggy ground and dewy foliage, Yuri felt a string of light caress his face, blinking as it expanded through the trees. Limbs of the sun latched onto all they could touch until they found a permanent resting place. Finally, the group of seven had escaped the cloudy skies to feel the warmth cradle their chilled bones. Without a word they had unanimously decided to take a break from trekking through the woods. Preferring a spot not too damp, Yuri seated himself on a rock already warmed up by the delicate rays. There he remained still for a time, leaning his chin into his hand and simply watching his surroundings with little interest.

Even a pat on the head, though considering who it came from it would more likely be described as a not so gentle smack, wouldn't break him out of his daydreaming.

"Are you listening?" said a young female voice with a hint of acrimony.

Yuri slowly turned his gaze to her, eyeing her perturbed expression and countering it with a delighted smile, almost deviously.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Now you're just messing with me. What's with you today, you need to wake up."

"I'm really sorry, Rita. Now what were you saying?"

Scratching the back of her rusty brown, tomboyish hair, Rita pulled herself up to standing and crossed her arms.

"Like I said, the weather's been too off lately. It's not just the rain, and not even the frequency in which it pours. It's far too cold for rain, if anything we should be getting wet snow, but it hasn't even come close to that. And then this sudden heat? Not to mention weather is never this irregular on Ilyccia."

"Why does this matter again?" Yuri asked.

"It matters", Rita carefully enunciated, "because it's likely the aer that makes this happen. It might not be dangerous now, but if it goes out of control, it could cause a natural disaster. Even our blastia might not handle it."

"But this close to the capital? Are things this bad?"

The young mage sat down on the grass, the yellow band attached to her left arm swirling at the motion.

"I can't say without a way to study it. I've just been observing the weather."

The silence resumed. Yuri waited for Rita to add to the conversation, but upon realizing she was too lost in thought to pay him any more mind, he got up to stretch. His joints made snapping sounds as he rolled back his shoulders. He stopped, feeling eyes on him.

Karol had been quiet for quite some time. He looked away as soon as Yuri's eyes met his, and apprehensively twirled his fingers together over his lap. He knew something had happened yesterday. It might even have been his fault. Even if it hadn't, he still felt guilty. Useless. What was Yuri going through that he couldn't see, or understand? He looked back at him, the young man's face showing no concern whatsoever, no pain. Just the secure, confident and supportive smile which seemed to be meant for Karol.

"You've been so quiet all day, Karol. Something on your mind?" Yuri asked softly.

Asking him if he was alright didn't work. Telling him it would be okay to confide in them didn't work. Yuri was the one who always helped. Delivered advice, did what had to be done, no matter what. Always kept calm and secure for the sake of those who needed it, even if it would hurt himself in the end. But sometimes, he'd talk to them, he'd accept their help. So what manner of issue was it, to make him so intent on keeping it hidden?

Yuri watched Karol quietly. He turned his face away, closing his eyes. Again, he inhaled. Exhaled. He turned back, walking over to sit next to his guild captain.

"What's the matter, fearless leader?" he asked.

Karol's eyes widened in surprise as he looked up.

"N-no, nothing's the matter! I should ask you the same question!"

Yuri raised an eyebrow at the outburst.

"Me?"

"What are you guys babbling about?" Rita suddenly interrupted.

Karol shot a glare Rita's way for interrupting them, but it looked more like a pout and she ended up paying it no mind.

"You done with your hypothesis?" Yuri asked.

"I need to find some samples to work with. But that's another matter. I need you to go to the capital", she ordered, pointing her finger at Yuri.

"A little 'why' couldn't hurt."

"It's no biggie, I just need some materials. You know your way around there and it would take too long for all of us to-... Karol, what?"

"Nothing", the boy mumbled, turning his face away.

The two shared a confused look over him, before Yuri got up and brushed off his trousers from sitting on the moss.

"Okay", he said with a sigh. "I'll be your delivery guy. What do you need?"

"I have it all written down, here."

Yuri took the slip in his hand as she reached it out to him, running his eyes over the words in a futile attempt to understand what they were or what she actually needed them for. In the end he just shoved it into a pocket and tapped twice at his right thigh, calling Repede to his side.

"I'll be back", he stated to the rest of the group with a raised hand.

And what a decision it was.

Through the obvious concern in Karol's eyes, to Rita's ways with words and research, all the way to Raven's attempts at getting Judith to give "the old man some lovin'", one thing was still repeating itself in Yuri's mind.

_Flynn._

His face remained calm, untouched, confident. Even his concentration, his resolve, wouldn't allow itself to break. But his innermost thoughts flowed with one thing.

_Flynn._

He didn't ask it to stop anymore. But he didn't embrace it. He simply acknowledged that it was there. It didn't change anything, it didn't make him a different being or another person. It only hurt. Mouth dry, breathing a chore. One thing.

_Flynn._

Yuri closed his eyes, his chest rising. Sinking. Repede whined. Back to reality.

The capital of Zaphias was easily noticeable by its barrier stretching across the city. It wasn't visible yet, but it would be a landmark upon entering the area. Yuri knew his way around, however, much like Rita mentioned. Having grown up in the lower quarter of said capital, he was simply wandering around in an oversized version of his own pocket. So to speak.

Twigs breaking, the soft tapping of Repede's paws against dirt and grass. It was the only music in the air and it kept Yuri's mind going as they were treading through the forest and heading out into another field. Of course, Captain Flynn wasn't a rare sight in the capital, but he was often out on other business across the world, so there was no need for Yuri to worry about running into him.

_What if I did run into him?_

The thought came too fast to stop. He felt his own breathing stop and a fissure appear in his chest.

_Useless to think about, though._

_I know what would happen if I'd run into him anywhere._

_I should know._

_I've run over the scenarios in my head several times already._

That's pretty stupid, was all he could gather from that. He had to laugh at himself, shaking his head in disbelief over the panicky state he'd find his mind in at times. Yuri focused, listening to the incessant gnawing on the pipe in Repede's mouth, settling for that and moving on with at least something else to concentrate on.

Man, if Rita had been there...

A lone flake settled on the bridge of Yuri's nose, sending a chilling tingle throughout the rest of his face. It melted in response to his bodily temperature, and as he wiped off the wet remains he let his eyes scan the field stretching out towards and around the city. He reached down to rest his hand on Repede's back, feeling the canine shiver, his fur standing somewhat on end. Everything looked like a wasteland covered in crazy amounts of snow, Zaphias burying itself in the warmth and security of its people in the middle of it all.

Yuri simply looked on it in disbelief.

"The knights must be going on a rampage over this."

Repede shuddered. Yuri in turn zipped up the part of his shirt exposing the chest as he felt the chill dig at him. But only slightly, leaving the collar bones visible. The both of them started going down the path towards the city, careful with the placement of their feet.

"You'd think we'd notice such a freezing cold back in the woods. I guess Rita will want to know about this once we get back, huh?"

Repede was far too busy trudging through the heavy snow to offer an opinion. Yuri gave him a look and figured it would take a while to reach the capital on foot, even while having it in plain sight. He watched the faint light of the sun above and shrugged. It was possible it would be too late to return once the materials had been gathered. There was always his warm bed in the lower quarter.

As they arrived in the city, it looked pretty much like Yuri had imagined. People were confused, but did what they could about the situation. Huddling up, shoveling away whatever snow would hinder them in their daily lives, heating up the stoves and simply moving on. There was no difficulty adapting, but there was uneasiness and bewilderment. As curious as Yuri was about the situation, however, he doubted anyone in the city would have much knowledge about it other than their observations. Asking a local baker, he heard what he had initially suspected. It simply came, and it wouldn't stop. That was all. He was certain the knights hadn't been able to offer much light to the situation, either. Not that they usually did.

If anyone could do something about it though, it was Rita. So Yuri carried on with his intended assignment and went into the market to ask for the things mentioned on the slip. It turned out to be a quicker task than he had realized, and soon he had collected the needed materials. But it was late, and he could feel his fingers numbing. Repede was tired from the exhausting trip through the snow. This felt like a good time to head down to Yuri's room in the lower quarter. The others would be alright, or so he hoped.

Covering a yawn with his hand, stiff from cold, Yuri climbed the creaky stairs with Repede following. The door to his room was the first around the corner. He put down the sack with materials to open the door, and the very second he looked up, a sudden pounding slammed into his chest so fast he again lost his ability to breathe. Blond hair, the white and blue garments of a knight. A shape, a breathing, a single movement so familiar that it hurt. Yuri shut the door quickly before he would be discovered, his feet shuffling, turning him around in what felt like a nauseating spin to his back against the wall. Repede sniffed his hand, at first unsure of why they couldn't go inside, then recognizing the smell - suddenly even more sure that they should go inside.

"Don't you dare, Repede", Yuri hissed, making sure the dog didn't so much as bite down on the pipe, much less bark.

It was as if his heart was outside of his body, hitting him with a blunt object. As much of a surreal expression he admitted it to be, it was quite literally how it felt.

"What the hell is Flynn doing in my room?"

_And why the hell can't I even face him here?_

_Actually, why _did _I close the door and just... stand here?_

Somehow, he managed to convince himself that it would be bad to be discovered here. Flynn might have showed up to find him, the criminal Yuri Lowell. And he had to get the materials to Rita, getting caught in the process was not an option.

He looked over his shoulder, at the state of the lower quarter. An old man huddled up by the frozen fountain. A mother trying to put a warm jacket on her non-compliant child. The snow covering the entire city. No. Flynn wouldn't consider him a priority in this case. And he wouldn't have shown up here if he did.

"Repede", Yuri mumbled almost inaudibly.

The dog tilted his head. It was silent for a while. Eventually Yuri turned and went back down the stairs. He didn't bother to check if Repede was following him. He stopped by the fountain, thinking it almost looked like an ice sculpture. "Ruff", he heard only a moment later. He turned once more, Repede having caught his attention.

"Yuri?"

There was a soft chime to the voice. Beautifully determined and strong, only now it sounded unsure, surprised, melancholic. Sad. Yuri's eyes trailed up from the armored boots, along the legs and torso and all the way up to that face.

"Hey, Flynn."


	3. Counterclaim

It was too cold to simply stand there. Frigid, in fact. He could tell Yuri was clearly freezing as well. But he had refused to enter the room, leaving only implications of the toasty shelter through the narrow opening before the door ultimately closed. However small that opening had been it had nevertheless brought quite a familiar scent. All the more reason to go inside! Go see Flynn, you stolid-eyed hamface. It's all you've been thinking about lately anyway.

"Repede."

His ears twitched. There was a hint of helplessness in Yuri's voice. But Repede couldn't really place his paw on why. Just pull yourself together, he thought, staring intensely into Yuri's eyes to try and convey the message to him. But it was still, and quiet, and a growl began to audaciously bubble in his throat despite his attempts at holding it back.

But Yuri left. The tapping sound of his boots against the wooden stairs, and he was heading away. Repede watched. Snorted. Proceeded to put his front paws on the wall next to the door and swiftly pulled at the handle with his strong teeth. Upon creaking open, Repede slipped inside with a loud barking, startling the man inside to the point where his hand grabbed the handle of the sword by his hip.

"R-Repede?" Flynn's voice elevated in surprise.

The canine circled him once, only to get back to the door and resuming his barking. He turned an eye back to Flynn, beckoning him. The young knight seemed to catch on quickly and followed.

_Stop looking at me like that._

They were at a standstill. As the biting wind played with their hair and tugged at their clothes, there was no way for either of the two to tear the eyes off each other. It felt like whoever's eyes flickered for but a moment would lose. Somehow it always turned into who was the better, whether there was anything to measure in or not.

The turmoil wasn't apparent in Yuri's face, however. He watched the knight captain with a breezy, confident expression, staring into Flynn's sharp, blue eyes with an intensity that could only be felt, not seen. Until Flynn's gaze was shot down and he opened his mouth to speak, a taciturn breath escaping him. As if a signal, this turned Yuri's heels and he walked away, carrying the sack of requested materials over his shoulder. Repede barked his way but did not go after him.

"See ya", Yuri casually said.

"Wait!" Flynn took a step forward, the sound of his armored plates resonating in the open space.

And Yuri did stop. But his heart rate on the other hand did not follow his example of slowing down. He'd humour him, but not for long if the quivers in his body had anything to say about it. The only positive thing was that it was no longer cold.

But Flynn watched him for a bit before speaking. Too long. As sensible as he was, Yuri still had to believe a lifetime had surely passed before the silence was broken.

"What are you doing here?" he finally inquired, softly.

Yuri turned, facing the man straight on once more.

"What are _you _doing here? This place not mundane enough for you anymore?"

He could hear the mockery in his own voice, feeling it so clearly seep from the roots of his chest and reaching Flynn's ears before he had any chance to revoke it.

And much like usual, Flynn's gaze hardened. Determination in his steps, he approached.

_Hang on, don't come closer._

_No, I mean it._

Snow stolen away from his boots at every step, hightailing it to the side to be replaced with new. More steps, confrontation closer, Yuri's senses told him to both back away and to move forward. He remained still, feet attached to the ground.

They were close now. Their faces a heartbeat away, eyes meeting, breaths colliding, coinciding, painfully binding an invisible chain to Yuri's legs. Unable to hold his gaze for long, he found his blurred vision traveling, flickering, to lips closer than life, so excruciatingly close he could hear the breaths escaping them as if they were his own. A neck, short strands of blond hair enveloping it at the back, sending a teasing tingle to his fingers, making him want something ridiculous, just running a hand through it to feel the sensation of skin. All in the matter of seconds as he turned his unfocused eyes back to meet Flynn's, and it sent a chill down his spine worse than the snow.

"I don't have time for you right now", the lips strongly vocalized.

Awaiting no reaction, Flynn passed his childhood friend and walked off. Yuri remained, forcing his shaken self to recover and show nothing of it, the struggle not apparent in the slightest.

He turned around. Flynn didn't. Yuri exhaled in a condescending chuckle.

"Then why were you in my room?"

He was suddenly sure that the very wind had stopped at this question. Flynn looked back at him, seemingly surprised. Yuri didn't know what to think, but the atmosphere suddenly changed. The pressure lightened somewhat. The warmth returned.

"You knew I was in there?" His voice was still strong, only gentler.

"Yeah. Figured you needed some alone time, so I didn't wanna disturb you."

Yuri suddenly acknowledged Repede's presence beside him. How had he failed to see him there?

"And I see Repede didn't really agree with me there", he said. Repede pretended the words didn't even concern him.

"Things are... hectic right now", Flynn attempted to explain.

"Yeah? Well, if you ask me, that makes it even weirder to find you in there."

Not even bothering to cover up the sigh, Flynn walked back, only slowly this time.

"You still haven't answered my question, though", he said.

"Neither did you."

"Has it occurred to you that it might be too classified a thing for you to know?"

"How classified can it be if it puts you in the room where I used to sleep? Clearly it's got to do with me, unless someone decided to stash something in there."

"Alright, alright!" Flynn exclaimed. "It's not actually classified. I just don't want to talk about it, that's all."

"So it's not classified, but... personal?" Yuri teased.

A blush found its way to Flynn's cheeks. Yuri paid it little mind though, seeing as Flynn was easy to embarrass and his face could often turn red. He had to snicker however, as the look enticed him somewhat.

"Will you stop poking into my business?" Flynn demanded.

"But if _you're _poking around in my room, I don't have the right to know why?" Yuri countered.

"Yuri..."

"What? I'm just sayin'." As much of an argument it seemed like, somehow it brought an actual smile to Yuri's face. One that wasn't meant to cover anything up.

Flynn seemed to brace himself, carefully rubbing his temples with his fingers.

"Yuri, you're barely even there anymore."

"But I'm pretty sure no one else is!"

"Why do you have to keep insisting I tell you?"

Flynn kept raising his voice, not in anger, but due to being flustered. It only allured Yuri further.

"I don't suppose you have any idea what's going on?" Flynn asked.

Yuri shrugged, letting his gaze wander again to the people of the lower quarter, watching them cope with the recent events.

"Me? Nah. Something about the aer."

"It just came so suddenly." Flynn walked over to the frozen fountain, leaning his hands on its cold surface. "No one has any idea why, and even if they did know I doubt they'd tell me. To be honest it would be none of my business anyway. But it's not like the aer was really that dense here... How does it just appear like that from nothing?"

"It doesn't", Yuri stated, joining his side by the fountain. "Not on its own, anyway."

"Are you saying someone did this?"

"Hey, don't ask me. I might be speculating, but I'm no scientist."

He could feel Flynn's eyes on him, but he didn't meet them. It was as if they burned into his skin and he wasn't sure he could hold himself responsible for any actions caused by those eyes if he were to acknowledge them.

"So why _are_ you here?" Flynn asked once more.

"Wouldn't you like to know."

Flynn winced.

"Yuri..."

"Wouldn't you usually try to apprehend me by now?" Yuri calmly asked, now looking straight at him.

"That can wait, this is pretty important in case you failed to notice."

"Nothing's kept you before."

Flynn sighed, frustrated.

"Do you have a reason for being so persistent? Do you _want _me to apprehend you?"

"Maybe I do", Yuri said.

His eyes wide in complete surprise, Flynn simply watched him. The way Yuri turned his gaze to him and shot him that crooked smile at this made his eyes flicker in sudden embarrassment.

"It was a joke, don't take it so seriously."

"Wha..."

"I'll see you around, okay, Flynn?"

At this, Yuri made to walk away, deciding it was better to get out of there before he did something he'd likely regret. The young knight at his side had proven to make it more difficult than expected. Everything he did seemed a taunt.

"You're leaving now?" Flynn asked in disbelief. "You'll freeze to death!"

"Well, if you're done in my room, I could leave in the morning."

_Why does he look away?_

_Why is he blushing every time I mention that?_

"Alright", Flynn mumbled. "Well, if you need anything..."

"What's that?"

"N... no, never mind. But Yuri, let me know if you find anything, okay?"

Back to that harsh tone of authority in his voice. Whatever had happened in between, Yuri was unable to decipher. But as Flynn turned and left, his posture always so perfect and expected of a knight like him, Yuri ran his eyes across him with a devious smile.


	4. Barricade

A belated tweet resounded among the snow-covered roofs of the lower quarter. Confused little birds jumbled together by the Inn's second floor window, their faces barely visible due to the amount of ruffling their plumage had to go through in order to warm their tiny bodies. Eventually they settled down, each finding a good spot to rest, only the heavy snow had started sliding from the tilted roof, heading straight for the poor birds but missing them by mere chance. The entire group jumped, flew into the air like tiny rockets and started bickering - it was naturally someone's fault!

Even under the covers it was surprisingly cold. Yuri couldn't remember one winter where he'd woken up so frozen, considering his faithful companion had been sharing the bed with him last night. Repede's fur brushed against him as the poor creature pulled himself closer. Yuri conscientiously petted his back, the blue fur feeling both soft and rough underneath his fingers. They simply lay there, listening to the birds arguing outside the window, until Repede with a big yawn opened his good eye and had a look around. As he was about to get up and stretch, the covers were sliding off of him and he shook his entire body at the sudden cold.

"Woah-"

Yuri had to catch him, Repede throwing himself back down on the bed and pressing his head into his master's chest.

"I know it's cold, but we gotta get up. Come on", he pleaded.

He half expected the only persuasion would be to drag the dog out by his paws, but as soon as the thought had come into his head, Repede rose and listened, his ears aiming upwards. His head turned quickly to the side, and he leapt off the bed and ran outside.

"Repede? Hey!"

Yuri got up so fast, he almost fell off the bed and hit his head. Blowing his fringe out of his face, he grasped the strings attached to his sheath along with the heavy sack and gave chase.

At his first step beyond the door, Yuri nearly flew off due to the slippery surface. He glanced down to notice the wood was almost completely covered in ice and it made his feet so unsteady that he had to grab onto the edge and make his way down with caution. Getting down stairs slippery as piss wasn't exactly something that made him throw his hands up in the air in delight, but he managed to get down without any casualties. He hadn't been able to keep an eye out for Repede at the same time, however. As he looked around for his furry friend, he had a chance to see how things had developed overnight. Not much difference, only... yes, less people were outside, despite it being daytime now. It was colder. During such a short time, it had gone from freezing cold at night, to somehow even colder during the day.

Off all the times to rush off... It was imperative that they got back to everyone else as quickly as possible if things had escalated this quickly. Repede must have had a good reason. Which in turn still was slightly worrisome.

And then, as he hurried past the frozen fountain and found himself on higher ground, he realized the true reason why no one had been seen outside. Yuri turned his head up high. The barrier blastia, inactive. The barrier, gone. His gaze now back to the front, he moved it over a frightening sight - monsters in Zaphias. There was no thought after that. No reason to hesitate, no excuse. Yuri threw the blade out of his sheath mid-run and caught it in the air with his free hand as it fell, discarding the sheath elsewhere.

It didn't matter how slippery it was, how difficult he found it simply grasping the hilt of his sword due to the intensity of this cold. Yuri leapt over the railing in front of him, putting his right foot on top of it and using it to kick himself into the air. With a powerful shout, he buried his sword deep into the back of a giant boar, sending the other monsters around it into disarray. The boar shrieked and shook itself violently, Yuri having to hang onto its back to make sure he wouldn't get cast off. As the boar began to tire itself out, he jammed one of his feet onto the large hump by its head and pulled himself back, leaving a devastating gash in its meat as the sword was forcefully dragged out.

Any other that tried to approach either got a punch in the face or a cut much like the aforementioned, but there truly were many. How were the civilians doing? Had the knights started evacuating them? When did these monsters arrive and what had happened to the blastia? As these questions rummaged through Yuri's mind, he realized there was no way he could answer them and there was also no time.

In the distance he could hear the sound of Repede's growl, filled to the brink with fury, along with the cries of monsters getting torn apart by his daggers. Yuri, kicking a monster off his sword at the time, started moving quickly in the sounds' direction.

"Repede!" he yelled, having to fend off a giant eagle-looking monster coming from above as he ran.

And his faithful friend did come to his assistance, drawing blood on his first strike and watching the eagle go down with an ugly wound in its right wing. He barked upon seeing Yuri, his tail vibrating somewhat. Again monsters were breathing up their necks, and Yuri had to swiftly turn around and meet another one.

"Wanna play, do you?" he hissed with a smile, giving the monster a stab to its chest and punching it down to the ground. Fatigue was starting to catch up. "Repede, go find Rita!"

Repede too was busy fending off these intruders, and growled at the notion.

"The barrier is out. Whatever plan she intended for these materials should fix the problem with the aer, right? It had better fix the blastia too for the sake of these townspeople, but there's no time to sit around speculating that, now _go_!"

Understanding the direness in his voice, Repede abandoned the fight and picked up the sack filled with Rita's materials on the way. He howled as he ran, leaving Yuri to promise he wouldn't go down in such a fight. As the number of monsters surrounding him decreased, however, more seemed to appear from out of nowhere. He had no choice but to get to a safer distance. Perhaps he could lead them away somehow.

"Aren't you an ugly one", he yelled in the face of another boar before giving it a smack in the face and running off. Naturally, it gave chase instantly, angered not by the insult but by everything in general.

As Yuri got even higher, he began to discern the sound of fighting from elsewhere. The knights - of course they would be a lot closer to the royal quarter. But if Yuri could get the monsters up there where the civilians were most likely more protected, at least the citizen's quarter and the lower quarter would be safer.

"Yuri! Yuri, over here!"

The voice could be heard further in, of course there was no mistaking who it originated from. What other choice did he have, though? Yuri picked up the pace, quickly getting out of the way as the boar behind him made a charge and rammed into a fence. He went past it before it could get up again and ran over to Flynn's side, the knight himself being quite occupied with the situation.

"How are things over here?" Yuri had to yell over the commotion.

"Most of it you can see for yourself. The barrier gone, and the monsters swarming in like this- ungh!" He parried a strike from a demonic-looking wolf, before sending it flying from whence it came. "Right now we're just struggling to protect these people."

"Yeah, you're doing great on that end. I can tell the people in the lower quarter is doing just fine protected by you!"

"We've been trying to work our way down there, but with the way these monsters are surrounding us they'd break through our defenses entirely if we simply ran. People would die here if we let up!"

Frustrated as he was, Yuri knew, again, that Flynn's words rang with truth. Somehow it only frustrated him further.

"So what's really going on here? Know anything?" he asked. He received a scratch to his chest, but rewarded the monster with a piercing blow to the head.

"They say the blastia's frozen", said Flynn, his voice surprisingly still.

"Did the cold just break it?"

"No! At least, I don't think so... It's supposedly intact, but the way it's frozen over has made it incapable of functioning. As if the ice is keeping it in."

"Well it won't matter in the end if we don't keep these monsters out, right?"

"Right, but it's already straining and there doesn't seem to be an end to them. We've tried getting them to lower ground to drop something on them, but there was no use."

Yuri had a quick look around at his surroundings.

"If you can't get them out, how about a way to seal them in? Got any way to trap them?"

"Well, our blastia still work, but I don't think anyone could hold a barrier for this many and for that long..."

"Not a barrier", Yuri said. "Shut them inside where they can't get out. The castle?"

"The cast-! Yuri, that's insane, we're trying to keep them _out_ of the castle!"

One of the monsters came dangerously close this time, ramming into Yuri with all its might. He hit a wall, but wrestled the creature off of him and gave it a lethal kick.

"Then get the _people_ out of the _castle_ and trap the monsters in there before they take over the damn city!" he yelled.

Flynn winced at the idea, these monsters wreaking havoc inside the castle wasn't the most comforting thought. But Yuri was painfully right, as direct as he usually was. So he gave the order. At this, several other ranking officers seemed to unanimously agree and allowed their men to follow his lead, aside from a couple of them deeming the idea as outrageous. But their voices were drowned in the roar of the fight and the plan was set in motion. Evacuation first - somewhere to get the people to safety while the others held off the incoming monsters. Someone to lure them inside and to close the doors on them. But Flynn only realized after they had begun going through with it, that the latter would mean _leading them inside and not coming back_.

As the last person had been escorted out and his men were sure no one had been left behind, they passed on the signal to Flynn and for the first time in very long, he hesitated. Yuri would volunteer. He knew so as soon as the thought crept into his mind, but it unfortunately did so much too late.

"Push from behind!" he heard someone scream and was waken up from his thinking.

"Wait, who is leading them inside?" he shouted back, receiving no reply. He turned, about to rush through the crowd of knights towards the castle. He spotted Yuri, only seconds away, at the front. "Yuri!"

"It's like herding sheep", Yuri yelled to him. "Come on, round them up so they don't divide at the back!"

"What are you doing? You should let one of the knights-"

But Yuri was already on his way and there was no way for Flynn to reach him. He yelled his name, his voice cracking somewhat at the end, his throat getting too dry to keep screaming.

"Don't throw your life away! Yuri!"

The monsters were pouring in, relentlessly berserk. With the help from the rest of the knights, they were kept in a line, any of the stragglers getting dealt with before causing any significant damage. One ended up ramming into a group of knights and sending some of its peers running wildly, but in the end the knights managed to keep them in check. They were beginning to see the end of it now.

But Flynn's eyes kept scanning the area. Would he manage to get out before the doors closed? Appearing when you least expected it with an arrogant smile as if nothing had happened - that seemed like him. Where was he? Only some monsters left. Flynn lowered his sword and ran. Get out of there while you still can, I know you're still alright. One quick glance around him. Barely any monsters left. The rest could be dealt with. He looked back, had to stop, the last of the line rushing inside the castle, screaming, roaring, knights giving the signal and all movement blurring before the world went silent and the doors closed with a devastating boom, Flynn only stopping when they were the only things separating him from the chaos inside and Yuri's name the last thing yelled.


	5. Gesture

The air was still, as if frozen itself. The entire capital, silent. Though it might as well have been the entire world, for this was truly how it felt for the citizens of Zaphias that day. They were sure it was getting colder by the minute, and at this rate, they would freeze to death in their own beds. Against Captain Flynn's recommendations, however, they were to stay put until scholars had figured out the problem. Flynn himself, however, naturally had to disagree. They had no way of knowing when the issue could be fixed, let alone explained. And even by then, it would take even longer to get everything back to normal. The citizens needed to be evacuated elsewhere until further notice. Why couldn't the commandant see that?

The palace. There wasn't even any need for people to stand guard by the doors anymore, but even still, knights had been stationed there for caution's sake. But the doors had been frozen shut. Still, Flynn found himself gazing in its direction whenever he got the chance. Prior to this day, it had truly been chaotic. In order to keep the monsters out now, the knights were prepared to work around the clock to prevent the same mistake from occurring all over again.

The sight of the adamant Flynn Scifo on his knees by the palace doors, sobbing into the ice, had no doubt sent fear and confusion into the spines of his brigade, as well, making them far too concerned about him to pay enough attention to their duties. One such was Sodia, who decided that insubordination or no, someone had to check on the captain to see that he was alright. The way Flynn had been so shaken over that insufferable man was again something she detested, but nevertheless she cared for him far too much to focus on it. In any case, Yuri Lowell would never be able to disturb the captain's emotions anymore, and that was for the best.

Sodia approached him as he had stopped to rest on a bench in the citizen's quarter. He didn't even look up as she cleared her throat, busy with his thoughts no doubt. She was struck with worry, but straightened herself up and gave it another try.

"Captain?"

Slowly, Flynn met her gaze with a vacant expression. As it connected who he was being approached by, he shook himself awake and rose to standing.

"Sodia. I'm sorry, I was... pre-occupied. What do you need?"

"Nothing, captain...", she said mildly, moving the ginger braid on the side of her short cut to the front of her shoulders. "The men are just worried for your sake. It's affecting morale somewhat. I-it's not really your fault, captain, it's just... are you alright?"

Flynn's gaze was shot down through his smile.

"Yes, don't worry about me."

But naturally there was cause to worry with him making that face, Sodia thought. She wasn't going to leave the subject at that, however, intent on getting his spiris up if only a little, at least. So she reached out her hand to comfort him, but stopped midway as Flynn interrupted her.

"I have something I need to check up on", he said, leaving her to watch him as he walked away.

_Why is it always him?_

_ Even as he's not around anymore, even as he's most likely a dead man by now..._

_ Why is it always him, only him?_

The lower quarter was by far looking the most dreadful at this point. People weren't going to leave, order or no order. They loved their home and probably wouldn't feel safe anywhere else. Flynn had to look on painfully as the citizens tried to keep each others' spirits up, wrapping themselves in blankets and never really leaving their beds' covers even as they went outside. Some shared warm cups of tea by the plaza, but Flynn was certain that even heating water would be a weak attempt as stranger things had been freezing over the more time had passed. Perhaps even the tea water would simply be blocks of ice no matter how much fire would be used.

But Flynn had to ignore their troubles, at least for but a brief moment, as he made his way past the plaza, the fountain, down the stairs and past the inn. He climbed the stairs up and rounded the corner. Opened the door to the first room on the right and closed it behind him.

"Yuri", he said gently.

There was no one in there, save for a little puppy crawling out from under the bed. It was a dark shade of purple, its eyes big and expressive. It had managed to roll itself into a shirt leftover from when his namesake had lived there. Flynn got down on his knees as the puppy stumbled over to him in a hurry, barking loudly and shivering inside the shirt. He removed all obstruction from his hands in order to offer some warmth, petting the puppy with kind motions. It looked up at him with a loving, playful gaze.

"You must be cold. What's that you've found?"

Flynn reached out a hand to feel the shirt's fabric. Yuri the puppy bounced out and into his arms, and it made him chuckle slightly. But his smile waned as he kept staring at the shirt, feeling his hand gripping it a bit too tightly than he should. He reached it closer to him, all the while holding little Yuri to his chest. He closed his eyes. Lifted the shirt to his face and breathed in. It was a strange sensation, simply taking in the vague smell of this having been worn at some point - by him. But he had to lower his hand again, quickly, as he felt his cheeks go red and the embarrassment came back.

_ What am I doing?_

_ That's such a perverted thing to do, I can't believe I..._

He exhaled with a shiver. The puppy was tired of his arms at this point and jumped down on the floor, sniffing around through the cold. Flynn reached out his other hand. Grabbing the fabric with both of his hands, he pulled the shirt closer once more and took it in again, allowing his senses to be overwhelmed with the emotion it presented him with. His entire body tingled again, from simply this.

But the moment had to stop. He didn't want to think. Not about this, not about him, not about anything. But everything reminded him of Yuri. He glanced over to the puppy playing with the covers on the bed, tugging at them with all his might and then falling over in the process.

"I can't believe I named you that."

Puppy Yuri turned his big eyes to Flynn and stared. Then he found the pillow and had a new thing to attack.

"I should get you some food. I wanted to check on you, but you seem alright - I guess it's the fur helping out", Flynn said. "But I really should get you somewhere else so you don't freeze. I just... didn't know where to keep you."

The puppy was fully occupied and wouldn't pay any attention to Flynn. But as he got up to leave, it started to bark, bouncing down from the bed and attacking his shins. Since he was wearing his armour, it didn't hurt, so Flynn simply watched the little dog and shook it off gently.

"I need to get back to my duties. And stop being a..."

He felt a sudden thump in his chest and his cheeks felt warm again.

"... a pervert."

As Flynn was just getting back to the royal quarter, he heard commotion. Raised voices, seemingly quite enraged. His pace quickened adamantly, but came to a stop as he got close enough to see who it was. And then, he wasn't sure how to proceed.

Rita was up in someone's face, yelling at them about the blastia, about Yuri, about the aer. It was painful to watch. Flynn sighed, running a hand through his hair and bracing himself before walking over to the mage and the rest of her group of friends.

"What's going on here?" he asked, his tone seeping with authority.

The young mage girl quickly turned to him with a fiery expression and pointed to the barrier blastia above the city.

"You see that? How could you let this happen? Didn't you realize _anything_ by the time it got this cold? Don't tell me you thought it'd just _pass_."

"Scholars are working on the cause as we speak, and the means to fix it. I hear they've also attempted to heat it, but to no avail."

"Well they're obviously _idiots_. You can't just use conventional means and expect it all to turn out fine again after something like this."

She turned back to the poor knight she had been arguing with previously.

"Now let me go and examine it, you buffoon!"

The knight didn't seem to know what to say to this, turning to Flynn for his opinion. He nodded to this.

"Let her do it, just keep her under watch. That should suffice, shouldn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah", Rita mumbled under her breath, allowing the knight to escort her.

Flynn watched them leave, sighing. He had to look down however, as he felt a tugging at his sleeve. The young boy Karol was standing before him, concerned.

"Um... Flynn? Where's Yuri?" Karol asked.

The captain's eyes seemed to harden and soften at the same time. Yuri's friends staring at him, expecting an answer he wasn't sure he was able to give, made it even worse.

"Yuri... is not here."

"Well, where is he?" the beautiful krityan, Judith, inquired softly as she stepped forward.

There was no use. Would he have to tell them? They deserved to know, did they not? But how would one say such a thing? Of course, Flynn was willing to take full responsibility. But he was interrupted before he was presented with a chance to speak, as Repede barked and ran off into the distance.

"Ahhh, Repede, wait!" Karol shouted after him and gave chase, the others following.

Flynn knew very well where the dog was going. He wasn't about to stop them, yet he decided to follow as well.

And there it was. The palace, eerie and ghostly where it was standing. No one knew what was going on inside, but the memory of what had happened made people nervous. It was a horrible thought, having creatures like that roaming their beloved palace. But perhaps they had all destroyed each other by now. Wouldn't that have been convenient?

They couldn't believe it. That Yuri had went in there alone, yes. That he was still there, his state unknown, they couldn't bare to believe. The leader of Brave Vesperia especially wouldn't tolerate the fact that no one had tried to get him out of there. Flynn was sure he saw tears in Lady Estellise's eyes before she took a deep breath and put her hand on Karol's shoulder.

"It's going to be fine, Karol. He wouldn't just... He wouldn't. Alright?" she told him reassuringly, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

Repede was scratching the doors and pacing, the occasional whine slipping out of him.

"Estelle..." Karol was fighting against the tears as he spoke. "Yeah... You're probably right. But he could be in serious danger! Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Well, there are many places ta' hide in the palace, don't ya' think?" Raven said, scratching the back of his head.

Flynn simply shrugged, he knew the palace well, but with the massive amount of monsters... he wasn't sure how long one could hold on in such a situation.

"Wait!" Estelle suddenly said. "Back when I first met Yuri, we used an underground passage. Maybe he went there, or at least decided to hide!"

"In any case, couldn't we go through that passage to get to him?" Judith mused. "If he's in trouble, that would be our best bet."

The confused captain simply looked on. They were still so positive despite knowing what had happened. It made him feel slightly ashamed, how he'd given up so quickly and moped during all this time.

"Then that's where we go!" Karol exclaimed, suddenly excited.

"Wait a second", Flynn said. "Is it alright if I go with you? I want to see what it looks like inside. And perhaps one of you should stay behind for your friend."

He made a gesture towards Rita as he spoke.

"I'll stay behind, if that's alright with you", Judith volunteered.

"Ahh great", Raven moaned. "Back ta' that place again."

Having listened to the conversation, Repede took off again, leaving the others little time to speculate further. As Flynn ran after him together with them, it struck him that he had forgotten to get food for little Yuri.


	6. Reverence

**Author's note: **HOLD DA FONON. I've realized upon re-reading that I've been stupid, having referred to the castle as a "palace". However to avoid confusion, I'm letting you know that I'm calling it a castle from now on, I do apologize.

Also I'm sorry for the delay!

* * *

The wind had not relented. Snow was whirling around, whipping at faces and blocking paths as a storm was brewing in the capital. The cold planted its bite into the limbs of the ill-prepared people, hindering their movement and shattering morale to the point where even the knights found themselves riddled with fear. How would one vanquish an enemy no sword could touch?

But this did not stop the puppy, as it trotted through the streets, its thick fur serving as mild protection. It avoided the deep patches of snow as much as it was able, zigzagging between urgent footsteps of citizens in the middle of evacuation. The little puppy named Yuri had grown far too tired of the secluded space of the inn and sought the company he so missed - as well as a bite to eat, if it was possible. And with the panic spreading throughout the city, the little fellow managed to help himself to a few snacks here and there while no one was paying attention. With the way things were going, no one thought twice about a puppy minding its own business.

Its round, fluffy tummy now somewhat filled, puppy Yuri maneuvered his attention elsewhere. Something else than people or food caught his mostly distracted focus and he started cantering towards the impressive building towering above him - the frozen castle itself.

What was that peculiar smell? It was definitely something he recognized. Whatever it was, it was associated with warmth and safety, and he knew his armour-clad caretaker enjoyed a whiff of it from time to time as well. The mere thought of it made the little puppy's tail vibrate and whip around. Upon reaching the castle doors, however, he whined at the fact that no one would let him inside even after scratching them profoundly. They were cold as well, sending a puff out of his nose as he shook, snow fleeing from his fur at the movement. For a while, the little thing simply sat on his behind, nose in the air. Until the cold started grabbing at him and forcing him to move his stubby legs again. No time to give up when that smell was so close!

After a few minutes of searching around the base, the canine's work finally seemed to pay off. There, visible below the snow, was a crack in the wall. If one would dig for a bit, something tiny could fit through - and little Yuri was indeed something tiny. The accomplishment glaring in the puppy's rarely expressive face, he started scratching and moving the snow away, intent on finding the source of that unmistakable warmth.

Silence finally greeted the walls of the castle that hour. Only the sounds of liquid dropping on the floor frequented the vigilante's ears as he lay still, leaned onto a table placed sideways onto the once radiant wall. Moving was not an option. Breathing barely qualified. Breathing meant causing sounds. Stirring. After a battle seemingly lasting forever, the exhausted young guild man had found a way to turn the panicked beasts into a rampage onto each other, rather than facing them all on his own. This had proved to prolong his life many a time, but the situation had never once been considered anything short of dire.

Looking down slowly at the damage, Yuri winced, leaning violently shaking arms onto his sword and dragging his broken self up onto his legs. The vigilante insisted, repeated time and time again in his mind, that it was fine, what he was feeling wasn't pain, and if he could just focus on that, he could move. But the exasperation sent a hiss through his teeth, resulting in the man collapsing on the stone floor, his blood-drenched blade causing enough noise to likely bring the entire force of the monster pack running back at him.

He was tired. He was spent. But if they did come back, Yuri wouldn't allow anything else but his feet rooted firmly on the floor, the ignition of his instincts accepting no less as the intense self-control pulled all of his strings and moved him back up again.

Sign of movement. Yuri drew a sharp breath, preparing to either run from or tackle his adversary, aching body be damned. But no assault interrupted his break, leaving him confused as to what he had managed to sense. This further calmed his limbs, making his feet shuffle slightly as there were significant problems keeping himself up - and then he saw it. It wasn't a monster, but a very tiny, furry creature. In his daze, Yuri squinted, unable to keep himself up as he fell to his knees, albeit still keeping the scrapings of his focus on the indecipherable thing moving towards him. Clear, grey eyes were blinking at him seconds before the man's thoughts had given up entirely, erasing mind map after mind map until there was no control left in his tattered self.

"Repede...?" a hoarse whisper escaped Yuri's lips before his head hit the ground and a sharp barking followed.

"Shh! Can you hear that?"

At Estelle's hushed tone, the others' steps came to a halt and they listened. Judging by the roaring, absolute chaos had broken loose above - not that they had been in need of the sounds to know it was so. However, this served as a whip to carry their steps with far more urgency, realizing while it might not be too late, it very well could be soon.

Flynn especially found himself taking the lead whether the group managed to follow or not, careful not to trip due to the obscurity of their surroundings. The pathways were thin and damp, allowing for quick access, but unfortunately not so much in groups. This only aggravated the knight further, and without realizing it, his frame was no longer visible to his companions. The bellows above echoing in his pounding nerves, the sounds of his own footsteps of absolute haste in accordance with his painfully racing heart, Flynn couldn't hear their calls for him anymore and only found his focus in getting through the path and into the castle.

And there it was. The tunnels ending, forcing the impulse of looking up and indeed spotting a weak stream of light guiding him upwards. With no time whatsoever to waste, Flynn grabbed the chilled metal ladder and carried himself and his spirit up through the floor. With only his head out of the passage, the knight took a swift look around in the room for possible encounters, finding none so far. It was at this time, when he realized he had rushed off on his own - but standing around waiting now that he had made it into the castle could cost the man so, so much. He exhaled into a sigh, gazing off towards the hallways. One last look over his shoulder, and he was off.

It didn't take long for a clash to happen - thankfully, Flynn came prepared, and downed his first encounters swiftly, the rage doing nothing to get in the way of his steady focus, but rather strengthening his resolve further in order for him to reach his priority. Where was Yuri? Where would Yuri have gone if he was being outnumbered? He would keep himself at a safe distance, one fit for observation - someplace high? Only, Flynn learned that this was a rather impossible notion, as the next rounded corner told him these were occupied. Slipping out of their sights with ease, the knight attempted his next guess. Someplace where the monsters would likely not find him even would he be unable to move. Perhaps somewhere that could dampen their senses? Spices cloaking his scent? Or maybe water?

Speculating did little salvage, as monsters were interrupting him time and time again, forcing the knight into hiding at times when he'd rather not. His back now against a wall, he was catching his breath, as he spotted a few creatures rushing away. This could only mean they had found something. Heard something. It could be another monster. It could be anything. But it could also be Yuri. And as the concern struck the blonde, the pain akin to a jagged knife twisting around his insides, Flynn ran, his breaths sharp and wheezing at this point, but he ran. The path he took seemed to outsmart the monsters, a victory in itself as it didn't lead even more of them this way, but it wasn't anything he had planned - he simply ran.

_Please._

_If you're alive, I swear I..._

_I'll do anything._

_Please smile at me again._

But he stopped.

Flynn's attention was stolen by a tiny body being flung his way, broken and torn, the fur of a vibrant purple ruffled and drenched in sinful red. It slid all the way to his feet, not so much as a twitch in it, widening the young knight's clear blue eyes as his breaths came out in devastating, quivering gasps. A growl. He looked up. Further cause for his anger visible at the mercy of another giant creature, the dark strands visible below the beast as it raised a claw to reduce the figure to that of the poor puppy lying on the floor.

The following scream was hoarse with agony, intertwining with the sharp roar of the monster as a sword pierced its stomach and Flynn's enraged face was the last thing it saw before its head touched the ground.

The figure was still, silent.

His blade loudly came into contact with the floor, as did Flynn as he leaned over the object of his self-deemed shuddersome affection, moving a strand of hair from his beautiful face before he grabbed the broken body with relinquished might and screamed, his voice a cacophony of desperate yells for help that couldn't get out of his throat. His breaths started to quiver, his mouth slowly opening to let out a horrible, shrill scream, the tones scraping against each other, discordant. And so he heard it.

A heartbeat.

And the smile of relief on his face was so overwhelming that Flynn took the man by the back of his head and lower back, and pressed him into a kiss, a passionate, desperate display of cherishing which Yuri would never learn of.


	7. Voracity

There was an imminent bad taste in his mouth.

Eyelids shot open to greet a familiar ceiling, a sharp breath drawn at the sudden struggle entailing to simply fill his lungs. It caused a nasty cough, discordant attempts to breathe, and premature rising as Yuri realized he'd best ease on the movements. The first thing he recalled upon waking, was that tiny body being helplessly sent through the air, a shrill yelp the last thing to grace the presence of the vigilante's exasperated mind before it, too, had been lost. He couldn't find a reasonable explanation for breathing the contained air of his room now, with that thought still keeping a pulse in his senses. But without the highly unexpected intervention from that brave little puppy, Yuri wouldn't have been able to catch another ambush, even though the end had left him in a useless state.

At the very least, he was warm, and this was the second thing he took notice of. It was warm. This made another attempt to pull himself up somewhat more relevant, as Yuri gingerly shifted his weight to the side, his legs slowly sliding off the edge in order to place his feet upon the wooden floor. Once he had managed to bring himself to a stable standing position, Yuri checked himself for wounds. He was aware of the strikes he had taken, but as it appeared, he wasn't in as much pain - or perhaps it just hadn't quite settled yet. In any case, whatever he could find that had come to mind as being the most lethal if left alone, was all patched up. Some bruises and cuts here and there had been overlooked, while the biggest threat appeared completely healed. It sent a spark of Estelle's presence into the depths of Yuri's perception.

Answers would come. For now, Yuri headed towards the door, opening it leisurely as he stepped outside, lacking the necessary caution and finding his feet slipping on wet surface. Water covered the railing and everything surrounding it, and luckily, Yuri managed to grab hold of it before being sent off. For a moment, he simply stood there, hunched over and holding on for his dear life, before exhaling into a sigh of bewilderment and relief, taking this opportunity to look around. The snow was melting rapidly, leaving streams and pools of water everywhere. The sounds of people rushing to prevent any damage was prominent in the direction of the square, and as Yuri made it down to look, he also turned to observe the state of the city's blastia. Incredible. It did appear to be fixed. They should be able to let people back into the castle to clear out any remaining monsters now.

Still, there was an uneasiness to his steps as Yuri made it towards the square. His exterior, lackadaisical and confident as ever, showed nothing of this, however, but the fact that he was in the dark about most of the happenings after having been locked inside the castle made his confusion a liability. At the very least, it was nothing to lament over, a positive spirit still intact in the young vigilante.

Surveying the area now after the incident, Yuri spotted a face he knew well among the residents by the fountain. Likely making sure the aque blastia core was intact, the young girl straightened up and placed her hands on her hips in a dauntless fashion and gave someone by her side an affirming nod before turning to face her approaching friend. At first, surprise came over her features, but it was replaced by the hint of annoyance as Rita turned her face to the side and crossed her arms.

"Took you long enough to wake up", she voiced Yuri's way.

"And how long was that, exactly?" Yuri asked as he joined her by the fountain. "Everything alright here?"

Rita's eyes followed to the object of the other's gaze for a moment, before he regained her attention.

"I managed to fix the barrier, but I don't think that's gonna be enough. And since your little escapade into the castle, you've been asleep for three days straight. You're lucky we found you in there."

"And the snow?"

The young mage gestured towards a few lower quarter residents attempting to clean up the streets. They were generally in high spirits due to the rising level of warmth and safety, but the confusion had never quite been removed.

"Once I got him working again, the heat came back", Rita explained. "But it just didn't make any sense, the barrier was up and working even with the cold here. That's where the tricky part comes. It seems, like the core's been infected."

"Infected", Yuri echoed. "So, we got a culprit."

"You guessed right. Someone did this, and whatever it was, it made the aer around the capital go so crazy, it froze the entire core beyond functionality!"

"So is it still infected?"

Rita shook her head, moving a hand up to rest her chin towards in a thoughtful manner.

"No. This formula wasn't easy to understand, but I've fixed it for now. But it also means that whoever did this is pretty knowledgeable."

Yuri gave the fruits of their conversation some thought before moving a few steps away from Rita, latching his gaze onto the stream of water coming from the citizen's quarter. Reflecting.

"I need to stick around for a bit longer", Rita told him. "But once I'm done we'd better move fast if we're gonna find whoever dared to tamper with this."

"I getcha", Yuri responded, making his way up and leaving the mage behind him.

Reuniting with the rest of the group didn't take too long, as they weren't scattered across the capital. They were all happy to see him, some showing it more than others, as they explained to Yuri how worried they had been and how the rescue attempt had turned out. After a few pats on Estelle's head and some exchanges of friendly banter, Yuri had to take note of the sharp reminder in his chest, telling him that Flynn wasn't there, even though Yuri had been told he had been the one to reach his unconscious body. Bringing the subject up caused a few smiles to fade, however, and there was another tug beneath the man's casual appearance.

"Oh, don't worry, he's not hurt or anything!" Estelle exclaimed, before clasping her hands together and lowering her head somewhat. "I-it's just... I think he just needed some time alone."

"Where is he?" Yuri asked, choosing not to channel the demanding feeling surfacing in his insides.

"He headed towards the gates", Judith replied, gently tucking some of her hair beneath a long, pointy ear. "If you'd like to see him, I'm sure he's still there."

"Eh, I'll see him when I see him", Yuri said, shrugging. Suddenly his mind fought for an opportunity to slip away and do just that.

"So what are you going to do now?" asked Estelle, an illustration of concern still painted across her face.

"I think we should go after the one who did all this!" Karol eagerly offered, and Yuri nodded in agreement.

"Alright, then that's what we'll do. We'll leave as soon as Rita's done."

"Okay", sounded the group's voices in unison.

"I don't know about you people, but this old man's gonna find someplace dry in the meantime", said Raven, walking off with his hands firmly placed behind his head. An opportunity had been presented.

"I'm gonna go help out the townspeople!" said Estelle before moving away as well. "Karol, you come too!"

"Okay then, we'll meet up later", Yuri let the others know, before heading off himself.

Towards the gates.

He was alive. He should by no means be alive.

While Yuri had certainly not entered the monster trap with the intention to die, it had been a necessary act of impulse and logic intertwined. I'll find a way, the bells of his inner being had rung. The right thing to do. Taking immediate action where someone else would not, where there would be marks of hesitation. There was never any time to wait for this someone else to do it, even should it happen. After all, it wasn't a position showered with rewards. It was a position for someone aware of his actions, someone capable of carrying them when faced with opposition. Even from the people residing in one's heart.

Flynn was kneeling in the grass, his hand placed by the roots of a tree. Yuri approached his frame with lethargic steps, unsure as to what topic he would reel in for the impending conversation. He wanted to see him, wanted to know the state of the man who had rescued him. A friend had started to peek out from underneath the tough shell, and Yuri recognized this friend fondly. He still kept his distance, however, as this would likely not be directed at him for long. And there was really no need for it to be. Yuri was aware, always aware. Flynn ought to feel like crap for pulling someone out of the fire who would only serve to be a nuisance in the future.

But Flynn didn't turn around. And so Yuri stopped, slightly behind him. Waiting for the other to acknowledge his presence. But Flynn was terribly pre-occupied, caressing the soil with a gloved hand.

"Yuri", he breathed, shattering the silence.

At first, the man behind him assumed Flynn was referring to him, reacting to the syllables immediately as his lips separated to speak, but he pulled his own reigns. There was something different about the way it had been spoken. Torn, fractured. A pensive look was forged on the vigilante's face as he kept observing, his heartbeats tearing out of his very soul upon hearing his name spoken in such a manner - hearing it at all, in fact. This was when ashen eyes fell on the shovel at the blonde's side. Dirt had been moved. He understood. It would be viewed as unfair, but he felt compelled to speak. To be a jerk. To be Yuri.

"You named the dog after me?" he asked, the question sending Flynn to his feet in haste, the surprise apparent and somewhat satisfying.

"Y... Yuri, you're... You're awake", Flynn awkwardly established. Upon receiving a raised eyebrow from his amused counterpart, he was struck with more of that characteristic warmth to his cheeks, and he turned his face to the side. "So you saw him."

Yuri tilted his head to the side, his hair following the movement as he did so, and his face softened to some extent upon recalling the features of that poor puppy.

"Doesn't look like me much", he said, a light chuckle traveling with his words, but not to poke fun - there was a silent gentleness to it.

Flynn's eyes went to the patch of soil that had been disturbed, a resting place for the creature he had taken care of for some time now. A slight smile graced his face for a moment, but it was reflective, solemn. No words came to his mind. But the light made the blue in his eyes stand out in no way less than beautiful. Such a dysfunctional thought process.

"Why did you do that?" Yuri carefully inquired, pertaining to both the naming choice of the dog and the rescue, but unable to choose one to specify.

But in one single motion, Flynn replied to both.

A hand was extended, softly, fingers placing themselves onto Yuri's cheek. Gently tucking away some of the dark hair dancing in the subtle breeze, Flynn felt the surface of ivory skin as his hand firmly showed the amount of affection poured into his aforementioned actions. The image of his friend's unconscious face came to mind. The kiss on cold lips. His eyes narrowed. Yuri flinched. The touch rendered him speechless, helpless, his face hinting at this subtly as the knight in blue leaned in.

_No._

_Don't you dare._

_If you do..._

_I'm gonna want too much._

_Too much._

He felt the other's breath on his lips now, quivering from the sharp pain in his chest, shaking his head slowly as he felt a hand snake around his waist to settle on his back. They stopped there, a mere heartbeat away, a vulnerability emerging from the strength of two men forced to contain a mountain of emotion on a daily basis. Should it erupt now, there was no telling of what it would cause. It was far too perfect already, as Yuri felt his trust seep into the other, safety in the his care. Inexplicable want.

But he didn't deserve it.

Yuri grabbed onto the fabric of Flynn's attire by his shoulder, and pushed him forward, intending to turn it into more of a playful shove, but instead, the both of them fell onto the grass, Yuri hitting his head on the shovel's handle and groaning in sudden pain. A laughter escaped from Flynn then, both from the fall and from seeing Yuri in the role of a klutz. His friend joined in, somewhat awkwardly at first.

He had dodged a bullet.

A bullet he wanted so badly.


End file.
